Rise to the Challenge
by DracoCharizard87
Summary: The dragons enter the Mauna Loa Tournament, where Cynder's archenemy Ash is among one of the participating contestants.
1. Chapter 1: Return to the Big Island

**DRAGON HEROES**

So here we reach the final stretch of the Hawaiian Islands, where the group returned to the Big Island to enter the tournament taking place at Mauna Loa. This is going to be somewhat of a two-parter at this point, so plenty of stuff going on in this story and the next. Let's see how they all fare here!

* * *

 **Rise to the Challenge  
**

 **Chapter 1 – Return to the Big Island  
**

Tails could hardly believe that the Hawaiian trip was almost over. He, Blaze, and the dragons had only one day left before they head back to Japan, and it was also the day for them to participate in the Hawaiian Championship Tournament, which was taking place on the Big Island's Mauna Loa. Of course, they had visited the island days ago when the dragons were up to taking on their fourth trial, but they had never set foot on the huge volcano before. While he continued piloting the Tornado, he looked back to the Nightriders concert and could tell that the event was still fresh on everyone's minds at that moment.

"Last night was certainly a lot of fun," he said to Blaze, who sat next to him.

"It sure was," agreed Blaze. "And I bet the dragons really enjoyed themselves, having that rare chance to play alongside with the Nightriders and all."

"Too right, you are, Blaze," said Bowser, as he remembered how much fun he had riffing on the electric guitar they provided him for the concert. "It's too bad they couldn't stay longer since today they had to start their tour in Canada, but at least we'll get the chance to see them eventually when they come to Japan."

Tails nodded, knowing that they will meet the Nightriders again when that time comes. He thought it was nice of them to install their apps on his friends' phones, and he was impressed with the vixens of the band.

"Looks like we're almost there now," said Blaze.

"Yes, I can see that," said Tails as they got closer to the Big Island. He readied his plane to make the landing. This was also the signal for the dragons to lower their altitude.

"Back to the island we've been before we visited Kauai," said Cynder. "I could only wonder what we'll be in for when we go to Mauna Loa."

"I think it's going to be a lot like the tournament in China that Jakkin and Torden participated in," said Draco. "Then again, I could be wrong since it could be possible Hawaii would have its own way of doing tournaments."

"There's only one way to find out," said Torden. "And I'm looking forward to duking it out with the other combatants."

"Now, don't get cocky there, bud," said Jakkin. "You probably are forgetting that I'm going to take part in the tournament as well."

"We all are, Jakkin," said Percival. "So all we have to do is just do our very best."

"Exactly what Percival said," agreed Cynder. "Now come on, let's get a move on, but not before we have our breakfast."

Draco relished at the idea of having breakfast at this hour as he was hungry as usual. Blaze smiled as she watched the other dragons chattering away. What they did not know was that she was planning on entering the tournament herself.

* * *

Princess Ash kept her distance as she spied on the dragons and the Tornado. However, she was capable of hearing what they were discussing about, and as she continued eavesdropping on their conversation, a devious smile crossed her face.

"So, Cynder and her friends are going to enter the tournament in Mauna Loa," she said quietly to herself. "Maybe this could be the opportunity I've been waiting for!"

Despite having bested Cynder in their first encounter in Maui Island, Ash did not feel any satisfaction, hence ending the fight prematurely. She could sense that they have grown a lot stronger from taking on the trials of the Hawaiian Island Challenge, so now she believes that they could be worthy opponents after all, especially Cynder. Ash never felt the need to take on the Island Challenge as she was already a strong dragoness in her own right, and she had been doing some intensive training of her own after her encounter with Cynder's group.

"They may be stronger than they have been," she continued to whisper to herself. "But they are still no match for me, for I am the strongest Twilight Storm in the world!"

The very thought of Cynder really embittered Ash. She looked back to the years when she first saw her as a teenager, how she had been given the chance of being trained by Blaze the Cat, how she had excelled greatly, and of course, how she had… killed her mother, Queen Vildouleur.

As she remembered the very last thing she detested about Cynder, Ash's hatred for her and her group intensified, and she vowed that they will all pay for the deed with their own lives. She also thought about Blaze, and she was just as resentful of her, because she believed that she denied her when she was much more powerful than her adversary. Ash was determined to get her own back, and the only way she could was to ensure Cynder's demise. Grinning evilly, Ash plots out her revenge as she gathered her thoughts.

 _I'll show them, I'll show them all,_ she thought. _I am going to enter the tournament, and I will make sure Cynder doesn't win. One way or another, I'm going to be the Champion of the tournament, and I'll take over the world, after I kill Cynder and friends, including Blaze the Cat. I am going to make them pay for the death of my mother, I swear it. The time for revenge has come._

Soon, Ash arrived at the shores of the Big Island. She looked up to where Mauna Loa rests, and she saw to it that she will arrive there before Cynder and her friends do. As she continued staring at the volcano, a family of anthropomorphic lions approached her, curious yet unsuspecting that she was not very friendly. This irritated Ash greatly for she hated mammals.

"Aloha!" greeted the father of the family. "It's not every day that a dragon stops by in our beautiful, peaceful island!"

Ash did not reply, but she bided her time, waiting for the right moment to shut the lion up along with the rest of his family.

"So, what do you think of our island?" continued the father. "I'm sure you got something nice to say about it, right?"

But Ash still remained silent, and then she turned around to face the lion family with a solemn, piercing expression on her face. The family's enthusiastic mood suddenly changed to bewilderment, yet innocent about the situation.

"What, what do you have in mind?" asked the father as Ash approached him up front. Her serious expression changed into a twisted smirk, and before anyone could realise what was happening, the Albino Twilight Storm went for the kill, starting with the father lion.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So we see the comeback of Princess Ash, and her secret is finally revealed! Pretty good plot twist that she's the daughter of the Dark Queen, isn't it? And alas, those poor lions...


	2. Chapter 2: Mauna Loa

**Chapter 2 – Mauna Loa  
**

"Come on, come on, where are my pancakes?"

"Patience, Draco," said Cynder as she took a bite out of her fish sandwich. "They will be here any minute now."

"Who ordered the pancakes?" called a waitress. Draco raised his paw. The waitress then set the plate of pancakes in front of him. The stack of four buttermilk pancakes smelled heavenly as it was coated in maple syrup and on the side was a wad of cream.

"Alright!" exclaimed Draco happily. "Just the sort of thing I like to have for breakfast!"

"Nothing like having a sweet tooth for breakfast, isn't it, Draco?" asked Lily as she had her own serving of pancakes as well.

Draco nodded in agreement. He could not speak as his mouth was full.

"We better pick up the speed, guys," said Blaze. "The tournament will begin pretty soon, and it's been rather late to have breakfast at this hour."

"Okay, no problem, Blaze," said the dragons, and they started to eat their food a bit quicker.

"Is there something on your mind, honey?" asked Tails. He could notice that Blaze was habitually looking up at the clock, as if she was anxious about something.

"Oh, no, not really," replied Blaze. "Just want to hurry and get the dragons booked for the tournament."

"Relax, Blaze, there's plenty of time," assured Tails. "No need to urge everyone to eat quickly when we only have like about an hour to go before the tournament begins."

"Actually, Tails, we have already finished our breakfast," said Charonus as he showed him his plate now completely cleaned.

"That certainly hits the spot!" exclaimed Bowser after he finished his plate of chicken wings before letting off a loud, resonant belch.

"Well, not bad at all," said Tails, feeling a bit grossed out. "I must say that you dragons sure have some appetite."

"Most of us, Tails," said Cynder. "While some were speed-eating like Draco and Bowser here, I'm one of the few who took my time."

"At least you have good table manners," said Tails as he got up from his seat, followed by Blaze. It was almost time for them to start moving.

"Right, let's be on our way," said Blaze. "Is everybody ready?"

"We sure are, Blaze!" replied the dragons.

"Good, very good," smiled Blaze. "Off to Mauna Loa we go!"

* * *

Maua Loa was the largest subaerial volcano in the world, with a peak that stretched up to thirty-seven metres lower than that of Mauna Kea. It was once an active volcano that let off a lot of eruptions in the past, which destroyed villages and cities. Now it was currently dormant, but it was still under careful study and investigation so that preparations would be made should another eruption occur in the future.

With the volcano dormant, Mauna Loa has become a place for tournaments, where every few years, fighters from all around the archipelago would come and participate in the hopes of becoming the Hawaiian Island Champion. The establishment, a temple which rested at the peak of Mauna Loa, had an oriental feel to it in architecture, though it incorporated some of Hawaii's native features, giving the building a very unique feel.

It took quite a while for Tails, Blaze and the dragons to reach the top of the volcano, but they made it in time, with only a few minutes to spare before the tournament registration could start. The group looked around feeling very impressed, especially Charonus.

"Here we are, the peak of Mauna Loa," said Blaze. "And it looks as if there are quite a significant number of people coming for the tournament."

"Yeah, no kidding," said Draco. "This place gives me a bit of the China Tournament vibe, but it sure looks pretty different from it as well."

"This place reminds me a lot of Mount Lanakila of my homeworld," said Charonus. "I must say, I find it pretty neat."

"Okay, Tails," said Blaze. "I'm going to leave it to you now, so please lead the dragons into the registration room. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Where are you going, Blaze?" asked Cynder.

"I think you should know already," said Blaze as she winked at the group, and quickly she hurried into the building.

"What is that all about?" asked Bowser.

Cynder finally knew what Blaze meant. "Oh, yes, it's just as plain as day," she said, smiling. "Blaze is going to enter the tournament as well, but for that, she'll be going in disguise rather than entering as herself."

"You mean she's going to go as the Mystic Flame again?" asked Draco.

"That's correct, Draco," said Tails. "I believe she wants to have the chance to fight any one of you."

"Now it all makes sense," said Percival. "We better be in top shape for that."

"Come on, guys," said Tails. "Let's get the six of you registered for the tournament."

"Tails, I want you to count me in," said Charonus. "I'm going to participate as well!"

"You can count me in too!" declared Bowser. "The tournament sounds a lot of fun, and I want to get the chance to fight the best of the best!"

"Alright, then," said Tails. "So that makes eight, plus Blaze."

Cynder could tell that with all of her teammates participating, including Bowser and Charonus, the tournament will prove to be a very entertaining and eventful one. Just then, she sensed a very familiar presence. Her expression turned sombre when she saw who it was. There stood her rival Ash who looked at her with a smirk on her face.

"So, we meet again, Cynder," she began. "I had a feeling that you would be here to participate in the tournament."

"I can't believe you're here," grumbled Cynder. "What kind of trouble are you after this time?"

"Trouble, you say?" laughed Ash. "Oh, please! I'm only here to register, and since you're here, I think this will make for quite an opportunity."

"Opportunity for what?" asked Cynder.

"The opportunity for us to fight each other," said Ash. "And we know who's going to win!"

"We shall see about that!" hissed Cynder. "I've grown stronger since our last encounter, so don't get cocky!"

"Dream on, my black friend," laughed Ash, and she walked away.

Cynder was angry. "I'll show her!" she fumed.

"Pay no attention to her," said Torden. "She's just trying to psych you out."

"Torden's right," agreed Tails. "Now hurry up before the tournament gets booked up!"


	3. Chapter 3: The Sixteen Contestants

**Chapter 3 – The Sixteen Contestants**

Inside the entrance hall, the dragons could see many fighters waiting in line to get registered. There were many kinds of anthropomorphic animals, and they looked eager to compete and earn the coveted prizes. Draco had never been in a tournament before, and he felt slightly nervous, seeing how there's stiff competition with all the participants present.

"Blaze should be back any minute now," said Tails.

"Where could she be?" asked Draco.

"I'm sure she's at the ladies' room putting on her Mystic Flame getup," said Cynder.

"So, what's this tournament like?" asked Charonus. "Despite this place being similar to Mount Lanakila, in which the League is in the same kind of location, I can tell that this is much more different to what I'm used to."

"Well, if I remember from the tournament we had in China, there was a preliminary round where participants are matched up against each other in a series of small matches," said Percival. "The sixteen combatants who win get advanced to the main tournament, which consists of three rounds before culminating into the final match to decide on who becomes the champion."

"Hmmm, that sure sounds very interesting," said Charonus. "I'm looking forward to getting into the tournament. I bet it is a lot of fun."

"It most certainly is," said Torden. "The best part is the fighting, that's for sure."

"I sure can tell," laughed Charonus. "You were certainly pumped up for fighting the Totem Mons throughout the journey across the islands."

"Even if you don't make it to the main tournament, you can always enjoy watching the fighters duke it out," said Darky.

Just then, Blaze arrived in her Mystic Flame disguise. Her face was completely concealed, and she wore additional clothing to cover the rest of her body. While the rest of the dragons were able to recognise her, Bowser and Charonus could not.

"Who's that newcomer?" asked Bowser. "I have never seen him before."

"Me neither," said Charonus. "Is he participating in the tournament?"

"It's me, you two," said Blaze. "And yes, I'm going to take part of it."

"Blaze, is that really you?" asked Charonus. "Wow, I'm absolutely stunned. For a moment there, I thought you were some random guy!"

"Blaze loves to wear clothes and attire that is either opposite or gender neutral," said Tails. "Not really surprising as she is the toughest female mammal there is."

"I still couldn't figure out why she is entering the tournament," said Charonus. "With the kind of competition we're seeing around here, I'm not sure if she might be able to stand a chance."

"Oh, trust me, Charonus, I'm more than just some sleek and graceful cat with pyrokinetic powers," said Blaze. "The reason I'm taking part of the tournament is because I want to test you guys out in the matches."

"But didn't you attempt that with Jakkin back in the China Tournament?" asked Draco.

"Yes, I have," replied Blaze. "But seeing how you guys have grown stronger since your confrontation with the Dark Queen and then from taking the Hawaiian Island Challenge, I'd like to see how all of you are now."

"We've been discussing what the tournament here would be like," said Charonus. "So far, I've been told that there's a preliminary round where you have mini matches before the actual tournament begins."

"That's the tournament from China," said Blaze. "I believe this one is going to be a little different as there's probably not going to be any preliminaries."

"What do you mean?" asked Charonus.

"We'll find out more when we register, Charonus," said Tails. "Come on, everyone, it's about time that we get moving."

* * *

Soon after waiting in line, the group were all set to make their registration. While Tails waited aside with Darky standing next to him, Blaze and the dragons signed their names and were eagerly waiting for the tournament to be underway.

"Good luck, Charonus," said the receptionist. "Now, do you have any questions?"

"Yes, I do," said Charonus. "What will we be doing in the preliminary round?"

"Um, I'm sorry to say, but there isn't really such as preliminaries here," said the receptionist. "The first thing you along with the rest of the participants will be doing is that there will be a machine that calculates the strength of your punches. You must score as high as possible in order to advance to the main tournament."

"Ah, I see," said Charonus. "Can you please tell me where that will take place?"

"Just follow the rest of the contestants when the judges call them forward," replied the receptionist. "There they will have the machine set up, and you'll have to wait for them to call your name."

"Thank you for the information, sir," said Charonus, and he joined the rest of the group who were waiting for him.

"Hey, guys!" Tails called as he watched them from afar. "Give it everything you got!"

"We will, Tails," said the dragons.

"Oh, and Blaze," went on Tails. "Please do be careful out there, I'll be keeping my fingers cross that you will be alright."

"Do not worry, Tails," laughed Blaze. "I'm a strong cat, so I can handle anything."

Tails nodded in assurance. "I love you, Blaze."

"I love you too, sweetheart," replied Blaze and she blowed a kiss at him.

Blushing, Tails led Darky to the stadium while the group followed the contestants when they were called to measure their strength with the punching machine.

"Okay, the rules are simple," said the judge. "The punching machine here has a counter that tallies up how much you have scored. You will all wait until we call your name. There's no need to stress yourself, just stay calm and punch as hard as you can."

All the contestants nodded in agreement as a pair of attendants cleaned up the punching machine, ready for use. The dragons waited anxiously for their names to be called as the main judge called in the first contestant, an anthropomorphic bear, to punch the machine. One by one, each contestant punched the machine, and many of the points they scored differed. Now it was Blaze's turn to deliver her punch.

"Mystic Flame!" called the judge.

Blaze calmly made her way to the punching machine, and with as much strength as she could muster, she delivered her hit and managed to score an impressive amount of points. She was then followed by the dragons, all of whom scored high points too.

"I think we're all going to make it to the main tournament," said Percival. "Hopefully, we won't have to worry about any serious competition since we'll all be fighting together."

"Princess Ash!" shouted the judge.

In response, Ash smugly strutted to the machine. While everyone looked on in anticipation, Cynder was the only one to feel displeasure, and became even more annoyed when Ash scored a point that barely surpassed her own. She knew all too well that it meant that she will make it to the main tournament.

Following the last line of contestants, the judges evaluated the scores, and narrowed it down to the sixteen that scored the highest, which included Blaze, the dragons, and even Ash, much to Cynder's chagrin, as she was determined not to lose to her again.

With the unlucky contestants heading out of the room, the judge smiled as another attendant arrived with a box.

"Now then," he said. "All of you will form an orderly line and you'll reach inside the box containing numbered balls. Whatever number you get in the draw will place you in one of the sixteen standings."

So the sixteen contestants all stood in line and waited as each one reached into the box and grabbed a ball with a random number. It did not take long until Blaze and the dragons got their numbers. At last the judge was ready to declare who was going to be matched against whom.

"Right," he began. "Based on the numbers you got, we've set you all in the corresponding standings. The board in front will reveal who you'll be pitted against in the first round."

The big white board lit up, displaying each face of the contestants and their numbers. The dragons checked anxiously where they were, and to their surprise, they saw two certain matches that caught their attention. Torden was set to do the first match, and his very first opponent turned out to be Jakkin.

"Holy crap!" he exclaimed. "It seems as if you and I have to battle each other again!"

"I know, right?!" laughed Jakkin. "But at least we're not going to be trying to outdo each other, now we're all for giving it our very best."

"Indeed so, my friend," smiled Torden.

"But take a look at Draco's first opponent," said Percival as he pointed to the board. The group looked at the fourth match, in which Draco was placed, and it seemed that he was set to face Charonus for the first round.

Draco and Charonus smiled at the each other, believing that their match will be a rather interesting one.

"Well, what do you know," said Jakkin. "A Charizard versus Charizard match. This should be really good."

They checked the other matches. Lily was set in the second match, pitted against a strange, aquatic creature called Prima, who Charonus recognised her as a Primarina. Cynder was placed in the third match, where she was set to square off with an anthropomorphic horse called the Great Stallion. Instantly, Charonus could tell that the horse was not an ordinary one, but a Mudsdale. Percival was positioned in the sixth round where he was to fight with a panda called Wong. In the seventh match, Blaze has to face a boxer alligator called Antonio, and Bowser was in the eighth and final match of the first round, in which his opponent was an anthropomorphic tiger called Ignatius. Charonus noticed Bowser's opponent and he even recognised him as an Incineroar.

"So, our first round is me against you," he said to Draco. "Don't expect me to go easy on you, just because we're friends."

"I know the drill," said Draco. "A match is a match, and we'll give it all we got, no matter what!"


	4. Chapter 4: The Rematch

**Chapter 4 – The Rematch**

As the crowd took their seats while waiting for the tournament to begin, Tails was playing with the _Jam with the Nightriders_ app on his smartphone. He was grateful that Torden showed him how he could be able to download and install the app since he was very curious to what it was like, having heard nothing but praise from his dragon friends. In no time, he was getting hooked on the app, and he enjoyed seeing his face imposed on the player avatar as he riffed on the guitar with the Nightriders playing alongside him.

"Getting good there, Tails!" said Axl in a digitised voice. "Keep on rocking!"

Darky watched Tails playing the app as he sat next to him. He could tell that what he was playing seemed like fun.

"You sure are having a lot of fun with that game, aren't you?" he asked.

"I sure am," said Tails. "If only I could show this app to Sonic."

"Who is he?" continued Darky.

"He's an old friend of mine and we were such best buds," replied Tails. "Nowadays, he has disappeared somewhere without saying a word, and I can only hope he'll be alright, especially when we never know if we might need him again in the future."

Darky nodded and he focused on the arena, eager to see the bigger dragons show up.

Just then, Jeremy appeared, and when he saw Tails and Darky on their seats, he was excited.

"Tails and Darky!" he called as he neared their row. "I have a feeling I will see you guys here!"

"Hey, Jeremy," smiled Tails. "It has been awhile since we met you back in Maui Island. What brings you to Mauna Loa?"

"After doing a bit of exploring back at Maui, I remembered the tournament you guys were doing, so I came here to see if I'll find you, and I'm glad I did," said Jeremy. He sat next to Darky and looked around the stadium in the hopes of finding the rest of the group. "Say, if you guys are here, then where the others are at?" he asked.

"They've registered to take part in the tournament," said Tails. "And speaking of which, it seems that it's about to start!"

Indeed, the crowd started to roar wildly when the announcer appeared and stepped on the arena. He gestured everyone to settle down before making his speech.

"Thank you all for coming to the big annual Hawaiian tournament, ladies and gentlemen," he began. "You're all in for a real treat as we have sixteen of some of the finest fighters who proven themselves to be qualified for the big event! Let's get it underway as we begin the first match of the first round, which is Torden against Jakkin!"

The crowd cheered as Jakkin and Torden made their way to the arena side by side. Both looked at each other, filled with determination to become victor of the first round. Never had they imagined that they would have a rematch since their fight back at the China Martial Arts Tournament.

"Now remember, you two, there is no time limit," said the announcer. "The name of the game may be winning, but it is very important that you fight clean and with good sportsmanship, got it?"

"We understand, sir," replied the two dragons.

"Excellent to hear," smiled the announcer. "Now, let the match begin!"

As soon as the announcer stepped out and when the match started, Jakkin and Torden went head to head with each other, delivering punches after punches, while evading the blows at the same time. It became apparent that both dragons were evenly matched as neither of them showed any signs of relenting.

"This fight is a really intense one!" exclaimed Jeremy. "I have no idea who to root for, though I'm more tempted to cheer on Jakkin since he's from Texas as I am and I can see that he's still in his Charizard form."

"No need to pick favourites here," said Tails. "Let's just show support for both of them and see who of the two will advance to the next round."

"I second that, Tails," said Darky and he stood up his seat to cheer with the rest of the crowd, even if he knew that the two dragons would not be able to hear him. "Come on Jakkin and Torden! Show us what you're made of!"

The match continued to rage on as Jakkin and Torden exchanged blows at each other. Then they paused for a moment, feeling very impressed at their strengths.

"I must say, Jakkin, you've gotten quite stronger since our last fight," said Torden. "But of course, even I've been improving myself."

"I can tell by how much you have sharpened your taekwondo skills, buddy," said Jakkin. "Not bad at all, I must say."

Torden grinned. "Maybe I might beat you this time!" he declared.

"Not if I beat you again like back in the China Tournament," laughed Jakkin. "Even if I'm in my Charizard form, my stamina never gets affected from whatever form I assume."

"Let's put a stop to this chit-chat and continue our fight," said Torden. "This is really exciting me and I'm itching for more!"

"You got it," smiled Jakkin. "Okay, here I come again!"

Jakkin roared and lunged at Torden once again. Torden dodged the attack and seized the opportunity to kick Jakkin from behind. Taken by surprise, Jakkin sailed across the ring, but he managed to recover before he could be flung out of the ring. The shapeshifter decided to up the ante by using his Earth Brooch to power up. Torden and everyone else watched in amazement as Jakkin was glowing brightly before finally being surrounded by a shield of rocks and emanating an orange-brown aura.

"How do ya like them apples?" he chuckled. "I've grown much more powerful now!"

"Two can play at that game, you know," smiled Torden, and he took out his Lightning Brooch and used it to power up as well. Soon, he was glowing bright blue and emanated a yellowish aura complete with lightning bolts circling around him.

"This is going to be really fun," said Jakkin. "Come on! Let's get this fight over with!"

The two dragons, now in their powered forms, resumed their fight. They were dishing out even more devastating hits, but since both of them were powered up, neither of them showed any signs of fatigue. Jakkin and Torden still felt the determination to win, but Torden had finally developed a strategy to gain the upper hand. As Jakkin prepared to deliver another attack, Torden rolled over, dodging the attack and leaving the shapeshifter dragon in a state of confusion. Torden then judged his moment, and when Jakkin was at the spot where he wanted him to be, he used his tail to strike Jakkin on the wings, and then he delivered a powerful kick, which sent Jakkin reeling over the ring. Jakkin tried to recover, but his wings were in a hurting state that he could not be able to start to start flying. Before he knew it, he landed on the ground, a few inches from the ring.

"And it looks like Jakkin is out of the ring!" declared the announcer. "This match is over! The victory goes to Torden!"

In an instant, the crowd went wild. Torden was stunned when he realised that for the first time ever, he had beaten Jakkin in an actual match. While he reverted back to his normal form, Jakkin got up, also back to his normal self, and he came to Torden.

"Well, it looks like you did it," he said. "You finally managed to top this shapeshifter. Kudos to you, Torden, I'm actually proud of you."

"Heh, I guess that makes things even between us now," said Torden. "You've beaten me back in our first tournament, and now I beat you here."

Jakkin nodded and smiled. He was looking forward to having another sparring session with him once they head back to their village in Japan.

"Torden, time for you to head back inside the waiting room," said one of the attendants.

"Okay then, I'll be coming," said Torden. "Alright, Jakkin, I better head get going."

"Good luck on your next match," said Jakkin. "I'm sure you'll do your best."

"Thank you, Jakkin," smiled Torden. "My thoughts are the same too."

Smiling, the two dragons engaged in a pawshake, and as Torden was escorted back into the waiting room, Jakkin looked up to the spectator areas, and could see Tails, Darky, and much to his surprise, Jeremy in their seats cheering. Feeling humbled from the fight, he made his way to the other direction leading up to the seating areas.


	5. Chapter 5: Fighting Fire with Fire

**Chapter 5 – Fighting Fire with Fire**

Inside the waiting room, the other dragons, including Blaze, were waiting anxiously for Torden. Upon his return, they crowded around him and they were pleased after seeing how he took his victory. Lily could not contain her joy as she leapt and danced happily around the blue dragon.

"Hooray! Torden has made it to the second round!" she cheered.

"Congratulations on your victory, Torden," said Blaze. "And as for the way you were with Jakkin back there, that was really sportsmanlike."

"The whole experience from the other tournament has made me less arrogant," said Torden. "I still retain my hunger for tough fights and challenges, though."

"You better get psyched for the next round," said Blaze. "Things are only going to get tougher from here."

"I will keep that in mind, Blaze," replied Torden. "And I'm looking forward to what comes next."

"Torden's made it to the second round!" continued Lily. "Maybe I might get to have a round with him if I make it!"

"Don't underestimate your first adversary, Lily," warned Percival. "From what I hear, she's a Primarina, and even though she may not look like it, she may prove to be resistant to you."

Lily noticed Prima standing in the distance. She was focusing on the pink dragon, and did not seem to be worried by the slightest.

"Oh, come on now, don't be so silly!" she laughed. "I don't think she's going to be that much of a challenge for me, despite her oddly calm appearance."

"Miss Lily?" called an attendant. "Your match with Prima is ready to go."

"Coming right away!" replied Lily in a chirpy manner. "Wish me luck on my match, my friends!"

"Just do your best, Lily," said Draco. "And do be careful. Looks can be deceiving."

Blaze and the dragons watched Lily made her way to the arena with Prima by her side. They could tell that she was in way over her head, and hoped that she would know when to forfeit as they could tell that Prima was not someone to be trifled with.

"What's up with Cynder?" asked Charonus. "She did not join in on our congratulating and was just standing there staring at something."

"I'll see what's going on," said Draco. Although he was close to Cynder, he knew that there are times when she does not like to be disturbed, so he carefully approached and cleared his throat.

"Ahem – excuse me, Cynder," he began.

"What is it, Draco?" asked Cynder.

"Didn't you notice that Torden has made it to the second round?"

"Yes, I know that," said Cynder, still focusing on what she was preoccupied with.

Draco and Charonus looked at where Cynder was staring, and they realised that she was eyeing on Ash, who was staring back at her with a disdainful look on her face.

"Still worked up about that Ash chick, huh?" asked Charonus. "I'll have to admit, she does look like she means trouble."

Cynder said nothing, but she slowly nodded.

"Let's not worry too much about her for now," continued Charonus. "Like Torden said, she's just trying to intimidate you. If you show her that you're the bigger dragon, then she'll stop all that boasting."

"I suppose you're right," said Cynder.

Presently, there was another rise of cheering, and Torden rushed to Draco, Cynder, and Charonus. However, he was in a saddened mood.

"Guys, the second match is done," he said sadly. "But Lily did not win, she was bested by Prima."

"Why am I not surprised?" muttered Cynder.

"She's coming right now," said Torden. "But I think it would be best that we don't say anything about her loss, and give her some pep talking."

Lily reappeared, feeling battered, beaten, and humiliated. The dragons came to her aid and patted her on the back.

"You gave it your best shot, Lily," said Torden. "We all got your back, even Cynder."

"That Prima is pretty strong," said Lily in a broken-sounding voice. "I don't know how she does it, but I must tell you all to be really careful when you go up against her."

"Whoa," exclaimed Draco. "That Prima must be something."

"Anyway, I better join the guys in the seats," continued Lily. "I hope you guys will have better luck than I had over there."

"We'll try to be careful with this Prima," said Charonus as Lily left the waiting room. He pondered deeply over the match. "Yeah, that was a total mismatch," he said quietly to himself.

"Cynder, you're up next!" called the attendant all of a sudden.

"Right, here I go," said Cynder. "I'll be seeing you guys in the next round if I win."

"Good luck, Cynder," said the dragons.

"I'm sure she's going to win this round," said Torden, optimistically.

Indeed, he could not be any more correct. When Cynder began her match against the Great Stallion, she managed to defeat the Mudsdale with little to no effort in a short amount of time. Everyone cheered as she returned to the waiting room, but she did not bother saying a word to her friends as she resumed focusing on Ash, wondering what the Albino Twilight Storm was planning.

By now, it was Draco and Charonus' turn to head out into the ring as the fourth match was about start. Together, the two Charizards walked alongside each other, and as soon as they were put in their positions, their fight commenced.

"Well, Draco," said Charonus. "You might have remembered that little spar we had those few days back, but now this is a serious match."

"I am well aware of that, Charonus," said Draco.

Charonus made a fighting stance. "So, are you ready for a fire on fire match?" he asked.

"Ready as I'm ever going to be said," replied Draco.

"That's good to hear, Draco," said Charonus. "Okay then, here goes nothing!"

With that, Charonus and Draco began their fight. The crowd was astonished to see a real battle between two Charizards. Even Jakkin, Lily, Tails, Darky, and Jeremy were very amazed at the spectacle as it was like a burning battlefield in the arena.

After a brief scuffle, Draco and Charonus paused for a brief moment and they had their eyes fixed at each other. Both could sense that their true strength was yet to surface, but it was only a matter of time that they will. They also looked at their respected jewellery, both bearing their respected Mega Stones, knowing that the match culminate to them making full use of their powers.


	6. Chapter 6: Best of the Charizards

**Chapter 6 – Best of the Charizards  
**

Lily watched with excitement as she sipped on her orange drink while sitting next to Jakkin. They, along with Tails, Darky, and Jeremy, were anticipating for the fight between Draco and Charonus to continue. Already, they could tell that the fight was going to be an interesting one as it was between two Charizards, but they knew things were just beginning between their two friends.

"Who is that red Charizard fighting with Draco?" asked Jeremy. "He sure looks like one tough customer."

"That is Charonus," replied Jakkin. "Now this is going to be quite a surprise to hear, Jeremy, but he is from a completely different world as he's not originally from here."

"Whoa, really?" exclaimed Jeremy. "That is totally cool to hear!"

"Yeah, and you'll never imagine how we met him," said Lily. "It all happened when we were doing the trial of this island. The Pyre Squad, who had been following us as usual, trapped us, and just when it seemed as if they had one, Charonus appeared and easily sent them blasting off before freeing us."

"So those three are still giving you all a hard time," said Jeremy. "When will they ever learn?"

"That's a question that no one will be able to answer," said Jakkin. "One thing for sure, though, is that they'll never be able to accomplish their goals."

"Anyway," continued Lily. "After he saved us, Charonus and Draco had a little fight together where they demonstrated their abilities to transform into Mega Charizards, and both seemed evenly matched, though Charonus assumed a form that was totally different from Draco's as his Mega form was black and blue with flames foaming from his mouth."

"I believe I have heard of the Mega forms," said Jeremy. "With what you're saying here is that Draco's Mega Charizard form was the Y version while Charonus is the X."

"That is correct, Jeremy," said Tails. "I'm very impressed that you seem to have a good knowledge about Charizard biology."

"Heh, that all comes with being a huge fan of the species," smiled Jeremy. "Speaking of which, I'm looking forward to getting acquainted with this Charonus guy. He seems pretty cool, by the sound of it."

"He most certainly is," said Darky. "We are very pleased to have him as a friend."

"I'm wondering if we'll ever see him and Draco become Mega Charizards in this fight," said Jeremy. "That will make for one extremely intense fight."

"That could actually be a possibility," said Tails. "We'll just have to sit back and find out as the battle unfolds, and it looks as if things are really starting to pick up right now."

* * *

Tails was right. As the fight raged on, Draco and Charonus had been delivering blow after blow towards each other, both seemingly having equal strength and not showing any sign of relenting. While the spectators cheered on, Charonus decided that it was time to make use of his Mega Stone. He was hoping Draco was game to do the same with his Elemental Brooch.

"Your power certainly is something I must commend, Draco," he said. "Even though you're mostly gentle and timid, you've shown that you're still capable of combat, as I have hoped."

"Thanks for saying that, Charonus," said Draco. "It comes from the guidance I get from Cynder, Bowser, and Blaze, including the rest of my teammates."

Charonus smiled. "Don't forget about the trials you and your friends have taken while you were doing the Island Challenge," he added. "They have also helped you to develop your strength."

"Oh yes, that is true," said Draco. "Yes, the trials were both fun and challenging."

"I think now's the time to reveal our true strength," said Charonus as he held on his necklace. "Now tell me, Draco, are you up and ready for this?"

"Wait a second, you mean we become Mega Charizards right here?" asked Draco.

"Absolutely," said Charonus. "I think we'll really amaze everyone when we show them what we are capable of."

Draco looked down to his brooch and thought deeply about Charonus' suggestion. "This is definitely something what you're requesting me to do," he said. "However, since it's something that you really want, then I accept."

"That's the spirit!" said Charonus, feeling very pleased. "Okay, here goes!"

With that, Charonus drew his necklace close to him and focused on the stone pendant, which shone brightly along with him. In a few moments, he changed into his Mega Form as his skin went from red to black and his tailflame blue along with letting off flames from his mouth. The crowd was astonished at what they saw, while Tails, Darky, Lily, Jakkin, and Jeremy cheered. Inside the waiting room, Cynder, Blaze, and Bowser watched the battle, and they could tell that things are starting to get serious between Draco and Charonus. They were also certain that Draco will use his Fire Brooch to reach his Mega Form as well.

"Alright, I'm all charged up!" declared Charonus. "Now, Draco, I await for you to do the same. Let's see you change to your Mega form!"

"You got it, Charonus," said Draco, and he took out his brooch to attach it to his jacket. The brooch started to glow, and so did he along with it. Soon, he finally assumed his Mega Charizard Y form, to which the crowd roared with applause. Everyone knew that the real fight just about to start.

"Excellent that you've reached your Mega form," said Charonus. "Let's give our audience a show they'll never forget!"

"I'm all up for it," smiled Draco, and the two Charizards resumed their fight.

The battle proved to be far more intense as the strengths of both Draco and Charonus have skyrocketed since their transformations. The spectators looked on with awe and wonderment. They had never seen anything like two Mega Charizards going toe to toe with each other before. All the while, Draco's friends watched with interest, knowing that they were going to witness a very memorable fight.

Aside from exchanging physical blows, Draco and Charonus would at times resort to using their fire breath attacks, which proved to be even stronger in their Mega forms. Fortunately, they took great care at making sure that their attacks won't incinerate the ring or anyone else by accident. As the battle raged on, both Draco and Charonus were gathering the power they need to deliver their trump card.

"It's time I show you a surprise I have on my sleeve, Draco, so you better brace yourself!" called Charonus. "I'm determined to win this match!"

"Oh, trust me, Charonus, I'm not going to be holding back either," said Draco. "This match isn't over yet, and I want to win this round just as much as you do!"

"Blast Burn Attack!" the two Charizards shouted together, and as soon as they have reached their full power, they charged towards each other, letting off streams of flames upon collision.

It has become more apparent that both Draco and Charonus were still evenly matched, no matter how much they intensified their Blast Burn attacks. Both tried to push each other out of the ring, but neither one planned to give up, and the flames around them grew hotter and stronger by the second.

Suddenly, the friction became so intense that it exploded between the two, knocking them backwards. Draco and Charonus struggled as they tried to avoid falling out of the ring. The explosion had engulfed the arena in flames, which left the spectators wondering who was going to be the one standing. The announcer covered his mouth to avoid inhaling the smoke, and he waited with anticipation for the outcome.

Eventually, the smoke cleared, and there was Draco standing in the ring, still in his Mega form. Charonus, on the other hand, was out of the ring, and he was back to his normal form, reeling in shock.

"The match is over!" the announcer shouted. "Victory goes to Draco!"

The crowd cheered loudly, and so did Jakkin, Lily, Tails, Darky, and Jeremy. Draco was at lost for words that he could only blush modestly, feeling deeply overwhelmed that he had won the match. Charonus recovered, and when he realised Draco was the winner, he could not help but smile, feeling very proud of his counterpart.

* * *

When Draco made his way back into the waiting room, he has reverted back to his normal self. Cynder, Bowser, and Blaze were waiting for him, and they were very pleased with him.

"Congratulations on winning, Draco," said Cynder as she kissed him on the cheek. "It looks like we'll be having a match with each other in the next round."

"I know right?" exclaimed Draco. "I can't believe that you and I will be fighting each other when we're dating each other!"

"Just because we're together doesn't mean I'm going to go easy on you," said Cynder. "You better give it your best when we have our match together."

"I will try," promised Draco.

"You were on fire, Draco, no pun intended," said Bowser. "I can't wait to see if I'll ever get a chance to fight either one of you."

"We'll see when we get there, Bowser," said Draco.

Presently, Charonus appeared in the waiting. "I'm very proud of you, Draco," he said. "You really proved yourself out there, and even though I have lost, I'm glad that we had our little match together."

"Thanks, Charonus," smiled Draco. "And you were great out there as well."

Charonus could only nod in agreement, and he headed out the door to join the others in the seating areas.

"Alright, next match is underway!" called one of the announcers. "Ash and Ty, may you head out to the ring, please?"

In response, Ash headed out with a Tyranitar who was presumably Ty, her challenger. Cynder eyed the Albino Twilight Storm suspiciously. Draco, Bowser, and Blaze could only wonder why she was still feeling uneasy about Ash. Nevertheless, they know Cynder was still going over her humiliating defeat back in Maui Island, and even though they may not have known Ash, something inside of them was telling them that the dragoness meant trouble, and all they could do for the time being is be prepared for when she reveals herself and her true intentions.

 **To Be Continued…**

* * *

The Hawaiian Tournament is far from over as more matches are coming up. This is basically a two-parter of sorts. Who will be the Champion? Who will be the one to come face to face with the mysterious Princess Ash? What plans does she have for Cynder and her friends? Find out in the next exciting story!


End file.
